Barkly Mayor accuses Chief Minister of ‘trying to impose martial law’ in Tennant Creek

BARKLY Regional Council Mayor Steve Edgington has taken to Facebook to accuse Chief Minister Michael Gunner of ‘trying to impose martial law’ in Tennant Creek.

Barkly Regional Council Mayor Steve Edgington has taken to Facebook to accuse Chief Minister Michael Gunner of “trying to impose martial law” in Tennant Creek.

BARKLY Regional Council Mayor Steve Edgington has taken to Facebook to accuse Chief Minister Michael Gunner of “trying to impose martial law” in Tennant Creek.

Mr Edgington said Mr Gunner had failed to deploy a promised 12 Police Auxiliary Licensing Inspectors (PALIs) to Tennant Creek, and that Australian Defence Force personnel and police officers were manning bottle shops instead.

Barkly Regional Council Mayor Steve Edgington.

He said this was a sign of “the Chief Minister attempting to impose martial law in Tennant Creek”.

“Yesterday was the last straw for many Tennant Creek residents who were confronted with Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel positioned outside bottle shops with fully trained police officers,” his Facebook post said.

“Everyone is fully aware and appreciative of the ADF being called in to work alongside our police at border control check points …

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“Chief Minister, for the last two years we have been told that in addition to the Banned Drinker Register and the strict liquor restrictions that PALIs are now responsible for manning bottle shops.

“You made a promise that you would be honest, open and transparent so why are you misusing ADF resources and fully trained police officers by positioning them outside bottle shops in Tennant Creek instead of using PALIs?”

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Mr Edgington accused Mr Gunner of imposing different rules for Darwin to what it does for other parts of the Territory.

“The message is simple Chief Minister – if you don’t have the courage to impose the same standards above the Berrimah Line then don’t do it to those living below the line,” his post said.

The NT News understands the concern stems from a photo posted online that shows an ADF officer and a police officer outside a Tennant Creek hotel.

However, spokespeople from both NT Police and Mr Gunner’s office said the ADF member was not involved in compliance duties.

“The police officers had been conducting public health compliance checks with ADF members before attending the bottle shops,” an NT Police spokesman said. “The ADF members had no involvement in the work of NT Police at the bottle shops.”

Mr Gunner said Mr Edgington’s comments were politically motivated.

“If Mr Edgington wants to take potshots at their (ADF) operational or rostering decisions, or misrepresent their role for dishonest political purposes, that’s his decision,” Mr Gunner said.